Hello again, everyone! Though news of updates on our current temples has slowed in recent days, I wanted to post right now to share an update on the status of the Kinshasa DR Congo Temple, interspersed with additional musings I have had about temple progress in general. So without further ado, let's get right into all of that.
First, there has been increased discussion on this blog in recent days, both by me and by many of you, regarding the ambitious temple-building plans that, by all reports, President Nelson is frequently discussing with other leaders. In summary of those discussions, those who have talked to him about that are reporting that his prophetic legacy as a temple-builder will by far outshine and overshadow that of President Gordon B. Hinckley. As we know, President Hinckley announced an ambitious plan in the late 1990s that would more than double the number of temples within the following 10 years.
If President Nelson's plans will truly outpace President Hinckley's ambitious vision, then there is every likelihood that the number of operating temples could more than double again within the next few years, which would be amazing to think about. I will speak more of that plan later on.
But the reason I mentioned it at the outset is to provide an update on what I have shared before: my belief that the Church will almost certainly have 200 operating temples by Saturday April 6, 2030, which will mark the Church's bicentennial anniversary. With 30 total temples in various stages of the construction process currently, the Church would merely need to complete each of those and announce and complete 11 others.
As of today, 11.74 years remain until that 200th anniversary, so the Church would just need to dedicate roughly 3.49 temples per year. As I have also noted, the two set for dedication this year means 2018 will fall below that average in this regard, but for next year, 1 such dedication has already been set, with 5 others that are also anticipated to be dedicated during 2019. And there are already 3 that we know of which are currently anticipated to be dedicated in the first half of 2020.
As we also know, there are currently two temples that we know of that are very close to a groundbreaking, and there are several others that may also have a groundbreaking within the next year or two. If President Nelson does start announcing temples en masse, then he will also surely want to do anything he can to quickly move the temples that are currently or will shortly be announced into the construction process.
In the earlier posts I have done, I noted that 2018 and 2019 were anticipated to be big years for temple groundbreakings, and while it is rare to get to early July without any occurring, that does not rule out the possibility that the last 5 months of this year may see several groundbreakings take place, especially if the October General Conference results in another massive and significant amount of new temple announcements.
That said, I am also pleased to provide an update I just learned of relating to progress that has been made on the Kinshasa DR Congo Temple. A report shared less than 2 hours ago via the LDS Church Temples Facebook page indicates that work continues to advance on driveways, walkways, and lampposts on the grounds of the temple, and that interior work is also progressing at a steady rate.
With that being the case, depending on what's left to be done on this temple, the Church could (and possibly will) announce the open house and dedication information before the October General Conference, and I have previously offered my opinion that that dedication could take place within the month or two following the already-scheduled 8-day dedication of the Rome Italy Temple. There are also other new temples and those undergoing renovation that could similarly have their dedications or rededications announced soon and set for the first 6-8 months of 2019.
All these things considered, it is apparent that the next two 2+ years are shaping up to be full of temple events. I continue to monitor all such developments and am committed to continuing to bring those to you ASAP. That does it for this post. If you enjoyed this content and would like to stay informed of new content, please feel free to subscribe. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish each one of you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.